5 Things

A quick break from festivals this weekend, unless you count the ongoing, nail-biting festival that is college basketball, or the buffet of tiny festivals that is First Fridays. Or the festival of creativity that is local theatre. Now the word “festival” looks weird.

March 6, 2014; 7:19 AM • by Susan Howson

Family-oriented? Check out 5 Things for Families. You won’t be sorry, and you won’t miss naptime.

1. So Much College Basketball

Basketball CONTINUES into the home stretch, with VCU vs. UR (Robins Center) (be cool, everyone, be cool) tonight, VCU vs. St. Bonaventure (Siegel Center) on Saturday, and the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship throughout the weekend at the Coliseum. Attend if you can, watch if you can’t, and write all your thoughts down in your journal for when basketball season is over and you’re left with a dried-out husk of a soul that craves memories to get it through the bleak, sportsless days ahead.

See above sites for dates and times
Aforementioned venues, plus a variety of sports-related television channels
Most likely free to watch on a television somewhere, as tickets will be rare

2. Cirque de la Symphonie

You know what is better than experiencing live classical music? No, I’m really asking you, because I can’t think of a thing. Oh wait, yes I can, the combination of live classical music and incredible acrobatic ballet stuff! It’s like Cirque de la Symphonie found a roadmap straight to my heart! Come experience a really eclectic mix of classical music (John Williams and Aram Khachaturian? Cats and dogs living together!) while aerialists do that thing they do that makes them so much better than us.

Saturday, March 8th • 8:00 PM
Carpenter Theatre, 600 E. Grace Street
$10 – $76

3. First Fridays

Maybe if we all just work together and think really really effing hard, spring will finally arrive. Let’s do all that thinking as we experience the multitude of delights that is an RVA First Friday! We’ll walk together hand in hand, stopping by the VMFA beforehand or trying our clasped hands at some craftiness at the Visual Arts Center before we head to Broad Street and look into UR Downtown’s art exhibit before checking out the area’s newest bakery, Sweetopia. And if it rains, we will be there with our umbrellas. As you can see, I have this all planned out. Don’t stand me up, fellow citizens.

Friday, March 7th • 6:00 PM
All over town, but mostly on Broad Street in the Arts District
Free!

4. Made in Hollywood

So, you missed the costume exhibit. Big freaking deal. Actually, it IS a big freaking deal. That exhibit blew my mind and made me feel many things. The Made in Hollywood photography exhibit, featuring 90 original prints from the Tinsel Town’s golden era, will be like a cool balm on your smarting wounds. Come, peruse, and then go home and try out some new lip liner techniques.

Through March 16th • see site for times
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard
$8 (free for members)

5. Hit Up the Theatre

Sometimes I look at all the plays that there are to see and I feel overwhelmed with options. Maybe you need to just close your eyes and point to the next sentence in order to make your choice, and I’m not judging. The following are recommended, whether based on personal experience or reputation or simply just faith in the company, I’ll never tell: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Tartuffe, Olympus on My Mind, and High.